Hellboy: An Unexpected Fusion of Long Island Emo and Trap Beats
(image via Wikimedia Commons)
The history of rock and rap fusions has often been a mixed bag for music listeners as there have been exceptional highs with groups such as the Beastie Boys and Rage Against the Machine, but also very notable and often cringe worthy lows, (I hope we can all collectively forget that Crunkcore once existed). Until recently, most people associated this style of music with acts that aren’t taken very seriously such as Limp Bizkit and Kid Rock. However, all of that began to change with the emergence of young artists seamlessly blending both genres and blurring the lines in terms of what their music can be categorized as. The artist I’d like to focus on is the late Lil Peep and his 2016 mixtape, Hellboy, which effortlessly takes inspiration from southern trap and various subgenres of rock music to create a project that stands as one of the pillars of the emerging sub genre known as emo trap.
Although Lil Peep isn’t the first artist to experiment combining elements of emo rock and hip hop, he certainly put his own spin to it that made him stand out amongst his contemporaries. As a Long Island native, he grew up in the epicenter of early 2000’s emo and it's clear to listeners the influence these bands had on his music. Throughout the mixtape, he samples various emo/pop punk heavyweights such as Blink-182, Underoath, and The Microphones while using a lot of the same tropes synonymous with the genre such as the singing style and catchy emotional choruses. Production wise, this mixtape relies heavily on the current sound of trap music with rattling triplet hi-hats and booming 808’s layered throughout the project. This isn’t the only way Lil Peep showed his love for trap music as he chose to put famous trapaholics taglines such as, “This Is a Certified Hood Classic” and “Real Trap Shit” before some of his songs as well as name a track after his favorite rapper, Gucci Mane.
Hellboy gives us an insight into the emotions Lil Peep felt after his tremendous come up in the rap game. Some of the subjects covered are his depression, love life, addiction, and adjustment to fame. He chose the name “Hellboy” for this project, as the superhero character reflected how Lil Peep thought others viewed him, intimidating on the outside but a gentle soul once you get to know him. The gloomy and dark lines throughout the project are haunting in retrospect as no one at the time knew the severity of Lil Peep’s emotional struggles especially with lines like, “I don't wanna die alone right now, but I admit I do sometimes” on “The Song They Played (When I Crashed Into the Wall).” Lil Peep paints a portrait of a damaged soul looking for anything to fill the void he feels whether it be a reckless lifestyle, women, or various prescription medications. On “Drive-By,” Lil Peep describes his reckless behavior and apathy towards others including himself as he raps, “With a fast whip, hit the gas, I'm an asshole / Drive by at 125 (125) / Fly by at 125 (125) / I'ma die, I ain't even 25 (Ayy).” Despite putting his emotions on his sleeve, Lil Peep has put up a wall as a defense mechanism to others because of his past experiences with people he considered “friends” and women he has let into his life. Songs like title track “Hellboy” and “We Think Too Much” include lines describing fake friends in his life, telling others that they just want to be around him because of his fame, and the toll these burdens take on his mental state.
His love life is another prevalent theme as he detailed the complicated relationship he had with his girlfriend at the time. Between songs, he switches scenarios where Peep recounts falling in love, heartbreak, and arguments he has with his partner. For example, “Worlds Away” is essentially a love letter to his girlfriend where he raps about never finding another girl like her, “She sees the things that you don't see / She breathes the air that you don't breathe / She bleeds the blood that you don't bleed / She looks at me like she loves me.” Lil Peep sings about life after a breakup that despite both parties moving on, they can’t fall back into the same pattern of hurting each other, “I know it's cold outside / But the last thing I wanna do is let you in / Baby, you know I'm right (Know I'm right) / We really fucked up this time (Fucked up this time)” on “The Last Thing I Wanna Do.”
Drug addiction is something that Lil Peep has struggled with for most of his life and he isn’t afraid to let his fans know how much it haunts him. Songs like “Red Drop Shawty” shows how he uses prescription medication as a coping mechanism for the pain he feels. In “Gucci Mane,” Peep discusses how drugs have become part of his lifestyle despite what the people closest to him might think, “I can't lie, I might die, baby / But as long as I'm alive, we gon' shine, baby / Look me in my eyes, baby / I've been high since last Friday.”
This mixtape perfectly manages to capture the chaotic elements of the Soundcloud scene while providing the same personal inflections that we’ve come to love from 2000’s emo. Lil Peep unabashedly expresses his pain in a way no other artist can. He might not have reached the same levels of success other emo rappers have, but it’s undeniable that his influence is unmatched. Despite his short time in the limelight, many of his contemporaries have listed him as an inspiration for their music and helping to kickstart the sub-genre into the mainstream. This mixtape only proves his love for making groundbreaking music and his influence will last long after his passing.